The 23-year-oldwas wearing only a T-shirt. There was really no coordination between police precincts. To learn more about Rifkin's killing spree tune in to Oxygen's "RifkinonRifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer" airing Saturday, April 10 at 7/6conOxygenas part ofSerial Killer Week. O.J.! Rifkin went back to school in spring of 1992, taking uncredited classes at SUNY Farmingdale. His lawyer argued that his statements to the police at the time of his arrest should be suppressed because he had not been informed of his rights. In his mind, the grim task was reduced to biology class. To foil identification, Rifkin severed Susies fingertips and pulled her teeth with pliers, then jammed her severed head into an old paint can. Rifkin acknowledged that his violent mental images were a little more intense than regular at that time. The confession and the evidence collected from Rifkins bedroom left him boxed in as his first trial approached in Nassau. A childless couple from Upstate New York, Bernard and Jeanne Rifkin, adopted him on Valentines Day and named him Joel David. The break came in 2013 when investigators discovered that Balch, who had been reported missing by her aunt in 2001, had also used the name Susan Spencer. They were able to successfully match her to the remains, according to the AP. How far is Las Vegas from the California coast? Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. In February 1987, Rifkins father killed himself to end the pain of cancer, and Joel delivered the eulogy at his funeral. He was generally unkempt, and a thick layer of Noxema was smeared across his mustache. assessed at 128, but struggled academically in school due to severe dyslexia. Confidential (1997) and The Sum of All Fears (2002). Known as Joel the Ripper, he murdered and dismembered at least nine women in New York. One drivers license belonged to Mary DeLuca, found dead in Cornwall, New York, in October 1991. Joel Rifkin, and I am dating Joel Rifkin, laments Elaine, whose coworkers have gotten wind of the creepy coincidence. When asked about the body, Rifkin said, She was a prostitute. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The odor from the truck was immediately overwhelming, Corcoran said, and troopers peeked in the back to see what was under a tarp. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Thats why he volunteered to have brain scans whenever they became available and he was willing to talk to mental health professionals. How did Rifkin become such a vicious murderer? Several months later, the football star was charged with murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. The murder, detectives gathered, was not his first. Known as Joel the Ripper, he murdered and dismembered at least nine women in New York. A low-speed car case ensued for about 20 minutes, until Rifkin lost control of the car and crashed into a utility pole in Mineola, according to the paper. He bought Williams a fix that night, then tried to choke her when she dozed off in his mothers car. "Some people viewed him as an oddball. Jury selection for Rifkins first trial, before Wexner, began on April 11, 1994. (In fact, the latter name is spelled Aholah.) Rifkin called his plan a way of paying back a debt, I guess, and while the idea drew praise from some quarters --including prosecutor Fred Klein-- most objected to Rifkins inclusion of a Motivation Room where residents would be scared straight with photos of hookers murdered on the job. Another 31-year-old victim, Korean hooker Yun Lee, was fished out of the East River on September 23, her body folded inside a steamer trunk. That explained Rifkins use of Noxema. But Susie has never been identified. Tragedy plus time equals comedy, so its been said. Before Rifkin left for college, he drove to New York City where he picked up a sex worker for the first time. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Rifkins first two victims have never been found or identified. This massive perfect bound Ted Bundy collection includes art, articles, rare interviews, documents, letters, transcripts and the serial killers entire FBI file. During the course of the episode, Rifkin underwent a brain scan to see if abnormal brain chemistry could have possibly made him more likely to commit murder. Through newly revealed interviews from Attica Correctional Facility, New York's most prolific serial killer, Joel Rifkin, reveals exclusive insights into the mind of a monster. All of our Serial Killer Magazines and books are massive, perfect bound editions. This guy couldnt even count to 10. In his down time, idling between jobs and classes, Rifkin dreamed of becoming a famous writer, churning out fragments of bleak poetry. When police approached the vehicle, they noticed an absolutely overwhelming odor, according to Newsday. Joels parents gave him a car that year, and he used it to troll for prostitutes, first in nearby Hempstead, later in Manhattan. With this information, they were able to identify even more of his victims, the New York Times reported. It was a trick for handling corpses, to avoid their stench, portrayed by Hollywood two years earlier in the Oscar-winning Silence of the Lambs. He said he told Rifkin, This is someone who is not trying to work with you and help you. Jane Doe #2: A second unidentified woman was killed some time during 1991. Rifkin's prison life In early 1994, it was reported that Rifkin had engaged in a jailhouse scuffle with mass murderer Colin Ferguson. As the hearing dragged on, Rifkins lawyers alienated Judge Wexner by Soshnick repeatedly arriving late for court and unprepared and Lawrence missing whole days. At first he was telling us like he didnt know anything about the body in the back of the car and then he was basically saying that he knew she was there but he doesnt know what happened, former New York State Police Trooper Sean Ruane told CNN in 2018. (Robert Mladinich), "I wanted to reach out to him right away after the arrest," Mladinich told Fox News. WebSusie was still alive, however, and she fought back when he tried to move her, biting one of Rifkins fingers deeply before he strangled her to death. Rifkin consigned her remains to the waters surrounding Manhattan. Hewent to painstaking efforts to try to conceal the bodies, often dismembering the victims, placing their bodies in oil drums, or throwing them into bodies of water, he would later tell WCBS-TVin 2011. Before the trial, Lawrence said, Rifkin established a better rapport with the prosecution psychiatrist, serial killer expert Eliot Park Dietz, than he did with his own mental health expert, forensic psychologist Barbara Kirwin of Huntington. Compatible with Rabbit or Goat. ", "There was always a fascination with strangulations. Every issue of Serial of Serial Killer Magazine we sell. Rifkin initially told investigators that he'd driven to New York City in 1989 to pick up a prostitute named Susie, according to a 2013, While his mother was out of town, Rifkin and Balch returned to his childhood home, where they stayed for the night but Rifkin soon took out his rage on Balch, bashing her in the head with a Howtizer artillery shell and strangling her to death, as recounted on "Rifkin on Rifkin.". And she had fake nails and those were ripped off when she fought him.. Rifkins victim was identified as Tiffany Bresciani, a 22-year-old Louisiana native, tricking in Manhattan the past two years to feed her drug habit. Long Island psychiatrist Barbara Kirwin deemed Rifkins psychological test results the most pathological she had seen in 20 years of practice. At 39, Mary Ann Holloman was his oldest victim, an addict who sewed personalized G-strings for strippers when she wasnt working the streets. And police weren't aware that one man was specifically targeting sex workers in the area. When its Joel Rifkin, the name of a notorious New York serial killer whose brutal four-year murder spree ended when he was caught in June 1993, it was grim grist for an episode of the hit NBC sitcom Seinfeld that premiered just five months after his arrest. Mary Ann Holloman: Authorities believe that 39-year-old Holloman was killed on January 2, 1992. But that all change in 1993 after Rifkin said he made a "25 cent mistake. Rifkin! she says, inspired by the name O.J. Some of the bodies already found had not been classified as homicides, Klein said. ", VIRGINIAS HORRIFYING COLONIAL PARKWAY MURDERS CAN STILL BE SOLVED DECADES LATER WITH NEW LEADS, DOC REVEALS, According to Joel Rifkin, it was a '25-cent mistake' that finally led to his capture. She had been the mother of two children. Rifkin did not respond to a request sent to him at Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate Dannemora for comment for this story. After graduating from high school, Rifkin, who was particularly interested in horticulture and photojournalism, made several attempts at community college and attended the State University of New York at Brockport, where he worked for a time as a photographer on the school's newspaper The Stylus. March 27, 2013 / 3:17 PM "I don't know. I had sex with her, then things went bad and I strangled her. The driver wasnt speeding, but the absence of a tag was in itself a minor violation, and they turned the flashers on, prepared to write a quick citation. He wasn'tcapable of that. This massive 8.5 x 11 perfect bound book contains over 300 pages of rare interviews, letters, documents, transcripts and artwork from historys most notorious killers. This 90 card set features the artwork of 15 noted true crime artists and will come with a numbered, signed certificate of authenticity for each set. He maintained his interest in photography and horticulture, but failed to make either a paying proposition. The discovery of a serial killer on Long Island came in the midst of a year dominated by bizarre and disturbing stories here it began with 10-year-old Katie Beers still captive in an underground dungeon and ended with Colin Ferguson shooting dozens of commuters going home on an evening train, killing six of them. Evens had been the daughter of a civil court judge and had once attended Sarah Lawrence College. For the first time in his life, he made straight As for two consecutive semesters, rewarded by selection for an internship at the prestigious Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, New York. When told his truck had no rear license plate, Rifkin assured the officers it had been present when he left his home, some 40 minutes earlier. New Yorks worst serial murder case of this century began--or ended--with a routine traffic stop in the predawn hours of June 28, 1993. State Troopers who chased down his pickup truck for a routine traffic violation said they found a woman's decomposing body in the back and a driver who confessed to killing 17 women. [2] Early life [ edit] Rifkin's birth parents were both young college students and his biological father was an Army veteran. The Joel Rifkin reference certainly grounds Seinfeld 's episode in its own time, but its the idea that O.J. Her mother, Florence Orvieto,told The New York Times that she had been saving her Christmas presents for two years until she learned in 1993 that her daughters body had been discovered in a 55-gallon oil drum in Coney Island Creek in Brooklyn. He gave names when he knew them, dates, where he picked them up and, crucially, where he had dumped the bodies. Soto also had a past record for prostitution, but her family insisted she had been getting her life together before she was killed. As before, Joel cut most of his classes, focused for the most part on repairing his truck, renting video porn and trolling for prey. "The only difference is that within 20 minutes, we started talking about murder and mayhem. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Still, Rifkin liked to vary his technique from time to time. "Last Christmas (1991) she came home and we begged and begged her not to go back to New York," she said. Joel Rifkin, New York's most prolific serial killer, is the subject of a new true-crime documentary on Oxygen. . He kind of leaned back and said, One or 100, whats the difference? Eugene Corcoran, the state police lieutenant who supervised the investigation, recalled, according to Newsday. He has been married to Iva Rifkin since August 28, 1966. State Police Sgt. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The remains were never found. He was subtly obnoxious, like his presence annoyed you. Rifkin joined the track team, in an effort to fit in, and was rewarded with the nickname lard ass. Teammates hid his clothes and shoved his head into a toilet bowl. Real-life romance eluded Rifkin, for the most part. Market data provided by Factset. Rifkin initially claimed he had blacked out, but soon admitted that Bresciani had not been his only victim. You dont even use a name, its just initials. They never kill the neighbor. He said he sat in his car outside his home for an hour and a half, listening to Frank Sinatra. While 2008s Rambo had John end his wandering, Last Blood sends him back out into the world. New York State Police escort Joel Rifkin, 34, a landscaper from East Meadow, to a holding cell after charging him with second-degree murder in East Farmingdale, L.I. He described all 17 murders in the absence of counsel, writing out the names he remembered, sketching maps to help police find those victims still missing. Is there less than 10? they asked Rifkin, Corcoran said. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Each giant issue is perfect bound and chock full of true crime articles, artwork, letters, documents and more. Jane Doe #1: Rifkin killed an unidentified woman in December 1991 by strangling her to death during sex. Very few people start out life thinking, 'Oh gee, my goal in life is to wind up in Attica. Rambo, one of Sylvester Stallones signature characters, now understands Spanish and somehow raised a Mexican-American girl, Gabrielle (Yvette Monreal) whose father abandoned her and mom died of a terminal illness. It also left Rifkin with a new problem. Rifkin had reached the detonation point. They enjoy helping others and are good companions until someone close crosses them, then look out! All of our Serial Killer books are massive, 8.5" x 11" perfect bound editions. There were times he would come up with things about the afterlife, or an energy flow he detected leaving his victims, Lawrence said. Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for April 9, Prince Harry's 'attacks' on 'villain' Camilla led to Frogmore Cottage eviction: expert, Film industry reacts to death of 'Saving Private Ryan' star Tom Sizemore: 'You're a legend', Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves take bumpy second flight after 'CHAOS' on Lufthansa plane: 'Wish me luck', Kelsey Grammer wont apologize for the 'difference' that Jesus has made in his life, Person roaming in 'Scream' Ghostface costume prompts multiple police calls. Thirty minutes later, Sale and Rifkin appeared before Judge John Kingston, entering a preliminary plea of not guilty on the Bresciani murder. Rifkin had dated Williams twice and enjoyed a great time before the final pickup on October 2, 1992. She followed Mary Holloman, sometime that winter, dismembered remains consigned to the last of Rifkins oil drums. "Where I am right now today, I know this is the best placefor me," he says. In February 1987, Rifkin's adoptive father committed suicide to end the pain of cancer, thereby increasing Rifkins depression. Married to a pro football player in 1986 and divorced the following year, she had come to New York in search of an acting career, but wound up doing drugs and living on the streets. He dismembered their bodies and disposed theirremains in the New York area. Your IP: Growing up, he struggled with confidence and lacked a natural athletic ability, which frustrated his father. Family members of his victims either could not be reached or declined to comment. Most killers stick to one method of disposing the bodies, but his mixturemade it easier for him to go undetected, according to the special. At age 33, Anna Lopez had three children by three different fathers, but she worked the streets primarily to feed her own cocaine addiction. (Photo by Neil Schneider/New York Post Archives /(c) NYP Holdings, Inc. via Getty Images), "When we first started talking, it was kind of awkward," said Mladinich. Next to him is his attorney, John Lawrence of Mineola. By the time Rifkin found her, in the predawn hours of June 24, 1993, she was his second hooker of the night--his fourth within two days. Tragedy plus time equals comedy, so its been said. Featuring specials about fearsome and fascinating serial killers, its a cant-miss event for true crime fans. In 1965, the family settled in East Meadow, New York, where Rifkin would spend most of his remaining years. Lockdown. Heidi Balch was identified in 2013. From breaking news to special features and documentaries, the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you. His mother chose that month to travel out of state, leaving Joel alone in the East Meadow house. Rifkin was booked at Hempstead, where homicide detectives launched a marathon interrogation. Rifkin was never on authorities' radar. Market data provided by Factset. On the early morning hours ofJune 28, 1993, three days after he had killed Bresciani, Rifkin stashed her body in his car's trunk and headed down the Southern State Parkway to dispose of her, the New York Daily News reported at the time. Instead, she wound up hooked on heroin, performing for strangers in strip clubs and cars. Hikers found her on May 9 after they spied a withered hand protruding from the ground. Afterward, he drove Evens to the far eastern end of Long Island and buried her in the woods, the only one of his victims who rated a shallow grave. Police just noticed him because his vehicle was missing a license plate. She had pieces of skin under her fingernails, her sister Margarita Gonzales told The Associated Press in 1993. The Seinfeld team wasted no time trying to churn laughs out of one of New Yorks most horrible mass murderers Rifkin is believed to have killed up to 17 women and is the subject of Oxygens upcoming special, Rifkin on Rifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer,, The whole city is talking about this monster. When the troopers used their siren, he appeared oblivious; likewise when Ruane got on the loudspeaker and ordered him to stop. WebRifkin was found guilty of nine murders in 1994 and sentenced to 203 years to life. I think its a wake-up call that there could be lots of Joel Rifkin'swalking around.". Wiles Stabile. In every high school, theres a kid that doesnt get girls,but they dont go ahead and murder 17 women.". I couldn't function in the real world then. All rights reserved. Undeterred, he slaved to put the senior yearbook out, but he was excluded from the year-end wrap party. Failing that, he sought to have the various murder charges consolidated in one Nassau County trial, hoping a hometown jury would be more inclined to find Rifkin not guilty by reason of insanity. These are not the kind of flimsy magazines or tiny paperback novels that you are accustomed to. Sale waived application for bond, knowing it was hopeless, but won a two-week postponement of formal arraignment. At the time, there was no more thought than stomping on a bug or a cockroach. It was hell from day one. Her family described Soto as a quiet Brooklyn girl who loved to play with her nieces and nephews but said she had a wilder side when she went into the city. Her body was discovered in Cornwall in October 1991, a month after she had been reported missing by her family. The 31-year-olds body was later found inside a plastic bag, stuffed into a cardboard box and thrown into the Hudson River. Rifkins first attempt at higher education took him to Nassau Community College, on Long Island. Just keep the music down., For more on Rifkin, watch Oxygens upcoming special Rifkin on Rifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer, airing on Saturday, April 10 at 7/6c on Oxygen. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Script writer Peter Mehlman had clearly read reports about how the serial killer was captured. Although never housed in the prisons general population, Rifkin created enough disruption by his mere presence that administrators moved him into IPC--involuntary protective custody--where prisoners spend 23 hours a day confined to their Spartan cells. It didnt fully come home to me what was happening until later., Things went from bad to worse at East Meadow High School. Corcoran said it played a role in his promotion from lieutenant to captain. Wexner gave Rifkin 25 years to life for murder, plus two and one-third to seven years on the lesser charge. It was nearly 8 p.m. when authorities presented Jeanne Rifkin with a search warrant, scouring her two-story house for evidence against the man who appeared to be New Yorks most prolific serial killer. These girls think, I cant be touched, Rifkin explained. Hes not evil. She was found on September 23--eight days before DeLuca--floating past Randalls Island, at the Harlem Rivers mouth. Unlike Orvieto, Holloman was identified from dental records and returned to her family for burial. With Joel Rifkin, Julian Attaway, Robert Mladinich, Sean Ruane. In March 1989, Rifkin, who admitted he had often fantasized about strangling women during sex, turned his disturbing ideas into reality. Rifkin had just arrived home when his mother demanded her car keys and embarked on a 30-minute shopping trip, with the corpse still in the trunk. "And he kept saying things like, 'I killed that one. Joel Rafkin is still alive. He was living with his mother and sister at the time of his arrest. He then dismembered her body, leaving her head at a New Jersey golf course, where it was quickly found, according to the AP.